On the Hunt
by Kalira69
Summary: One night on the hunt with Azula, Mai is woken by a familiar presence in her tent. One that is always welcome at her side.


This is my first time writing it, but this ship was actually the first one I saw when first watching Avatar.

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"Mai?"

Mai groaned silently, though she'd been woken already as Ty Lee slipped into her tent. No matter who it was or how light their steps, Mai never slept through another person coming near. She put a hand up to rub her face as Ty Lee crept closer.

She tilted her head, not quite looking around. "Homesick?" she asked out of long-held habit, then went still. No, unlikely, she realised. It had been several years since Ty Lee had left home to join her circus, and her longing for home - and the company of her sisters - had been lessening even before that.

Mai turned her head, looking at Ty Lee over her shoulder. Ty Lee offered up a slightly wavery but still big smile, though her expression was barely visible in the thin starlight.

"Come on then." Mai invited, settling her head back down.

Ty Lee skipped closer - Mai snorted quietly - then dropped to her knees on the bedroll at Mai's back. A moment later she was stretched out and sliding under the blanket herself, snuggling close, one hand creeping forwards to rest on Mai's waist.

"Thanks Mai." Ty Lee said softly, her brow coming to rest between Mai's shoulder blades.

Mai slid one hand down her own body under the blanket and curled it over Ty Lee's to give a comforting squeeze. "You are welcome." she said honestly, because strange as it had felt to get used to, Ty Lee _was_ always welcome with her. At the academy, when they were little, it had been weird at first - to Mai, anyway - but she had gotten used to a hopeful, lonely Ty Lee sneaking in to her room and curling up with her almost every night.

Back then it had been homesickness; Ty Lee wasn't used to being alone and far from her sisters and was not sure what to do with herself in the new circumstances. The concept had been bizarre to Mai - it still was - but her silence had been an allowance of Ty Lee's approach. She'd found the result - Ty Lee's closeness, above and beyond their existing friendship - even more strange, but acceptable.

It had been . . . nice, really. More than. Being cuddled up to had then been as foreign to Mai as being alone to Ty Lee, but the change had been a pleasant one, once she became accustomed to it. Though Mai was still alone much of the time - always, even when at home with her parents and now her doted-on baby brother, save when in the company of Ty Lee and Azula - she had grown used to the quiet pleasure of Ty Lee's clingy company. A pleasure that was openly offered to her without Mai ever needing to ask.

Ty Lee was Ty Lee; hugs were bestowed freely upon friends, and she needed no response to them to be happy - this quieter affection, comfort, _need_ all fixed on Mai. . . Well, Ty Lee never spoke of it either, not really, but Mai rather . . . expected it of her.

Expected it even in her sleep, else Ty Lee would have been dodging her blades as soon as she stepped into the tent. Mai slept lightly, and even secure in her own bed at home was never without her daggers.

Ty Lee's brow pressed a little more firmly against Mai's spine, and she shivered, fingers tightening. Mai frowned slightly, then sighed.

She turned over carefully, startling Ty Lee, who looked up at her with wide eyes. Mai tucked one arm close around Ty Lee's shoulders, and she wriggled to let it settle there.

"Try and sleep." Mai instructed in a gentle murmur. "You know Azula will have us up at dawn." she added wryly. Being around firebenders - mostly Azula herself, but also some of the other girls at the academy, and Zuko, years ago - Mai had learned to rise early and without complaint, but she privately doubted anyone _not_ a firebender could be _quite_ so happy to get up the moment the sun rose, even the ever-cheerful Ty Lee.

"Yeah. . ." Ty Lee sighed, relaxing a little more as a tiny smile curled her lips. "It's good to be back together again."

"Mm." Mai shifted a little, adjusting their positions so that Ty Lee's knee wasn't pressing into her leg quite so firmly without actually drawing away.

Ty Lee cuddled into the circle of Mai's arm, cheek nestling against Mai's breastbone. "Love you Mai." she said quietly, curling one arm around Mai's waist in return.

Mai swallowed, closing her eyes for a moment and drawing a deep, even breath, then letting it out smoothly. She kissed Ty Lee's brow and hugged her a little closer, smiling slightly as Ty Lee gave a soft, happy hum.


End file.
